Subject: Raptured? When? Part D

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higher-fire@prairienet.org
Subject: Raptured? When? Part D

Since the church is the body, of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22;
5:23; Colossians 1:18), the bride, of which he is the Bridegroom (II
Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23), the object of His love (Ephesians 5:25),
the branch of which He is the Root and Stem (John 15:5), the building, of
which He is the Foundation and Cornerstone (I Corinthians 3:9; Ephesians
2:19-22), there exists between the believer and the Lord a union and a
unity. The believer is no longer separated from Him, but brought into the
closest oneness with Him. If the church is in the seventieth week, she is
subjected to the wrath, judgment, and indignation which characterizes the
period, and because of her oneness with Christ, He, likewise, would be
subjected to that same visitation. This is impossible according to I John
4:17, for He can not be brought into judgment again. Inasmuch as the church
has been perfected and delivered from all judgment (Romans 8:1; John 5:24; I
John 4:17), if she is subjected to judgment again the promises of God would
be of none effect and the death of Christ would be ineffectual. Who would
dare to assert that the death of Christ could fail to accomplish its
purpose? While the members may be experimentally imperfect and need
experimental cleansing, yet the church,  which is His body, has a perfect
standing in Christ and could not need such cleansing. The nature of he
testing of the seventieth week, as stated in Revelation 3:10 is not to bring
the individual to cleansing, but to reveal the degradation and need of the
unregenerate heart. The nature of the church prevents such a testing.

Walter Copes
The joy of the Lord is my strength
(wcopes@communique.net)
Walter L Copes